Andropogon virginicus

Broomsedge Bluestem

Poaceae (Gramineae)

Plant Specifics

Form:	Grass
Size:	3-5 ft tall by 0.5 ft wide
Life Span:	Short-lived perennial
Flower Color:	Green
Fruit Color:	Orange
Phenology:	Winter dormant
Noted for:	Interesting foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:	Background planting or as a casual tall bunching or clumping grass in meadow-like settings.
Considerations:	Can be aggressive in disturbed lands.
Propagation:	Seed, division of clumps.
Availability:	Seed
Light:	Full Sun,  Part Shade
Moisture Tolerance:	always floodedextremely dry
	(Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods)
Moisture Tolerance:	Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:	Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance:	Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or other substrate:	Sand
Soil pH:

Ecology

Wildlife:	Provides food and nesting material for many small birds and other small animals.
Insects:	Larval host for zabulon skipper (Poanes zabulon).
Native Habitats:	Open seepage areas, flatwoods, marshes, ruderal areas.

Distribution and Planting Zones

Comments

General Comments:

This plant can be used as a background planting that will create a light orange haze during the late fall and winter months. Andropogon virgnicus var. glaucus (chalky bluestem) is very light blue-green in color and grows in dry sites.